Confusion across Telangana

​Hyderabad: Utter chaos reigned at petrol pumps, eateries, bus and railway stations across Telangana as people made a mad rush to the outlets to exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, which have been demonetised. With banks shut down and ATMs closed, most of the petrol bunks, bus and railway stations faced a torrid time dealing with customers, leading to commotion and arguments.

"Most of the two-wheeler owners and auto rickshaw drivers were demanding petrol and diesel of Rs 100 or Rs 200 by tendering Rs 1,000 in cash. We have already run out of change, but the people are unrelenting and the queues seem never-ending. The government should have made some alternative arrangements," Ravishankar, a petrol bunk owner, told The Hans India.

A provision store owner in Secunderabad said the cap on withdrawals per week would cause problems for him as he had to make payments for the goods he had purchased from suppliers by making cash payment. Some of the small general and provisional stores charged Rs 50 to Rs 100 from customers for accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Before the Union Highways Ministry suspended the toll collection on Wednesday evening, toll plazas across the State witnessed ruckus with the commuters tendering the scrapped notes - Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 - and the toll staff refusing to accept them. In Nalgonda and Suryapet districts, vehicles queued up at the toll plazas for hours together. This led to inevitable arguments between the commuters and toll staff.

Srinivas S, a provision store owner in Hanamkonda, said: “I have no problem in accepting the notes, but certainly it could be a herculean task to stand in queue to deposit them when the banks start to accept them. As it would take a few days, it’s difficult for me to run my shop without finances,” he said.